Folding apparatus



Aug. 23, 1938. s, CLOUD 2,128,076

FOLDING APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1937 2 Shets-Sheet 1 W 2 L 9 I t} 1 v 7znvl whyroza. :7 2/ AfQR EYS.

. Aug. 23, 1938.

w. s. CLOUD 2,128,076

FOLDING APPARATUS Filed July 16, 1957 2 Sheets-Shet 2 'III ,5 1 ENYTOR. wmfi? Patented Aug. 23, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

This invention relates to folding apparatus and particularly to apparatus for folding the ends of paper packages to form a closure therefor.

It is an object of the invention to provide a simple apparatus of inexpensive construction, and suitable for operating upon a plurality of packages simultaneously.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a top plan view.

Figure 2 is a front elevation.

Figures 3, 4 and 5 are enlarged sectional views on the line 3-3 of Figure 2, and

Figure 6 is a section on the line 6-4 of Figure 5.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus may be mounted on any suitable supporting frame I. Secured thereto is a bracket having a horizontal flange 2 and depending flange 2" to which is secured a transversely extending board 3. Mounted on said board is a holder 4 having a V-shaped bottom portion adapted to receive and support the packages 5 to be folded. Preferably the said holder is adjustable vertically, as

by means of slots 6 formed therein, in order that file packages may be folded at the desired posi- Secured to the horizontal flange 2 of. the bracket is one leaf 1 of a hinge 8, the other leaf 9 of which extends outwardly therefrom and is urged upwardly by a spring l0 against adjustable stops II. The said stops H are carried on arms l2 secured to the frame.

The folding device proper comprises two horizontal bars i4 and I5 connected by a hinge I. The bar it carries a block ii at each end thereof which said blocks are slidably mounted on horizontal rods It. Coil springs I9 surrounding said rods normally urge said blocks and bars to the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 3.

The bar It has a pair of handles Ill secured to its ends by means of which the folding device may be operated as hereinafter explained.

In operation, a row of packages 5 to be folded are placed in the holder 4 in substantially vertical position as illustrated. In the drawings the packages are illustrated as having their lower ends prefolded, and are illustrated as filled ready for the final folding of the open ends, but it will be understood that the apparatus disclosed herew ee t s desired to make the fold, the operator grasps the handles 20 and pushes the bars forwardly on the rods I8 until the hinge l6 engages the hinge leaf 9, thus clamping the paper at the ends of the packages between the edge of the hinge leaf 9 and the hinge It. At this point, the operator swings the handles upwardly, thus causing the bar ii to swing on the hinge l6 from the position illustrated in Figure 3, through the position illustrated in Figure 4, to the final position illustrated in Figure 5; It will be noted that as the bar l5 swings from the Figure 3 position to the Figure 4 position the paper is held firmly, thus permitting the paper to be creased evenly at the desired position, but as the bar swings from the Figure 4 position to the Figure 5 position the hinge leaf 9 swings downwardly, thus releasing the paper. but not until it is seized between the faces of the pars I4 and I5.

If desired, the faces of the bars I 4 and I! may be provided with mating corrugations 2| which I 1. Folding apparatus comprising a pair of bars,

a hinge connecting said bars, a yielding plate having an edge extending parallel to said hinge, means to support said bars for movement toward and away from said plate. and means for swinging one of said bars about said hinge to engage and displace said plate.

2. Folding apparatus comprising a pair of bars, a hinge connecting said bars, a hinged plate having an edge extending parallel to the hinge connecting said bars, an adjustable stop for said plate, a spring urging said plate against said stop, and means to support said bars for movement toward and away from said plate.

3. Folding apparatus comprising a pair of bars, a hinge connecting said bars. a hinged plate having .an edge extending parallel to the hinge connecting said bars, an adjustable stop for said plate, a spring urging said plate against said stop, means to support said bars for movement toward and away from said plate, and means for swinging one of said bars about said hinge to engage and displace said plate.

4. Folding apparatus comprising a pair of bars, a hinge connecting said bars. a plate having an edge extending parallel to said hinge, and means for moving said hinge against the edge of said plate and swinging one of said bars into engagement with said plate, said plate being yieldable to permit continued swinging movement of said wnuAM's. cnoun.

' bar. 

